The invention relates to a gas bag module cover assembly and to a gas bag module equipped with such a cover assembly.
In the case of module cover assemblies provided with an emblem and a cover, these emblems attached to the covers are made predominantly of metal and become more and more extravagant. When the cover assembly is opened by the gas bag there is, however, the demand that the relatively heavy emblem remains reliably attached to the cover. For this reason, the emblems are secured to the covers on the rear side thereof by holding plates which unfortunately increase the weight of the emblem and to which the emblems are attached by screws or rivets.
The invention provides a cover assembly comprising an emblem which can be produced more simply and can be attached to the cover in simpler manner. This is achieved with a cover assembly which comprises a cover having a front side externally visible in an installed state of the cover assembly and a rear side and having at least one emblem designed as a separate part and visible on the front side. The emblem is designed such that it can be mounted from the rear side, the cover having at least one opening through which a section of the emblem protrudes. The section is visible on the front side, and the emblem has a rear holding projection protruding laterally with respect to the opening and being attached to the rear side. In contrast to the prior art cover assemblies, the emblem according to the cover assembly proposed is attached from the rear side by simply inserting the visible sections in corresponding openings, so that they are visible on the front side. Holding sections which are integrally connected with the visible sections and are not fixed by rivets or screws to the visible section, secure the emblem to the cover. Thus, the entire emblem only consists of one part but not of several parts as is the case in prior art. The emblem does also not abut against the front and rear sides of the cover, to be clamped therebetween in a manner comparable with two clamping plates connected via screws. Hence, there is also the advantage that on attaching no great joining force is exerted on the emblem, which occurs when a prior art emblem is screwed or riveted. What is called the manufacturing process step of xe2x80x9ccutting-offxe2x80x9d of the emblem in the subsequently visible area of the emblem may also be omitted thus achieving a greater optical emblem quality. Thus far, the emblems are embossed and then punched out of the sheet of metal, the area visible in the attached state of the emblem having punched edges. According to the invention punching may be made in the area of the emblem which subsequently abuts against the rear side of the cover, so that the quality demands to be made on the punching step can be reduced. Emblem sections which are filigreed on their front side can now be achieved by the invention, which was formerly impossible. Thus far, front sections of the filigreed part would have to extend laterally beyond the opening so as to achieve the clamping of the emblem which is common practice according to the prior art by abutment against the front and rear sides.
The visible section of the front side does preferably not extend laterally beyond the opening, however, it would be conceivable to permit a minimum projection to avoid visible gaps, e.g. when the fit between the visible section and the opening is not made as a press fit.
It is preferred to provide several visible sections with associated openings in the cover. These sections are integrally connected with one another by a common holding projection on the rear side. Preferably all visible front sections are connected integrally by the common holding projection to keep the production cost and assembly effort low.
The holding projection is arrested at the cover on its rear side by receiving pockets, mushroom-like projections or fastening clamps provided on the rear side of the cover or additional holding sheets of metal.
According to the preferred embodiment the holding projection is designed as a holding plate. The holding plate adds to the stability of the cover, supports it across the entire area, so that better haptics of the cover surface can be achieved on the front side. The cover has at least one flap which exposes an outlet opening for the gas bag when the cover assembly is opened. The holding flap connects the flap with non-opened adjacent areas of the cover and thus extends across a hinge region associated with the flap. In this case, the emblem is attached to the cover such that the holding plate is bent when the flap is pivoted, i.e. the hinge region is supported and the flap is still fixed to the cover via the holding plate as well.
The flap is prevented from pivoting back after opening by the bending of the holding plate.
In the gas bag module proposed, which comprises a gas bag, a gas generator and a cover according to the invention, the gas bag, the gas generator and the cover are adapted to each other such that after the deployment of the gas bag the flap is held by the bent holding plate substantially in the fully outwardly pivoted state. This means that the flap remains pivoted outwardly by 180xc2x0 and does not protrude outwardly by 90xc2x0 with respect to the outer side of the non-opened cover assembly.